William was registered at birth as William Joseph Baggerly, probably
because his birth was registered by his mother who was obviously
illiterate as she only made her mark, a cross, on all documents. He was
registered however as William Joseph Baggarley on marrying.
Some twelve weeks after his marriage, on Easter Saturday 15th April
1876, William was critically wounded in a knife attack outside his
mothers home. The following is reproduced from the Tuesday 11th July
1876 edition of the Daily Telegraph;
CUTTING AND WOUNDING - William Knight, 29, described as a coach
painter, residing at 46, Queen Street, Webber-Street, was placed at the
bar before Mr Partridge charged with cutting and wounding William Joseph
Baggarley in such a serious manner that his life is despaired of. Sara
Thomson said she lived with her parents at 11, Queen Street, and about
half-past-eleven on Saturday night she was standing at the door, when
she saw the prisoner come up the street, and when near No. 46, where he
logged with Baggarley's mother, the injured man asked him what he meant
by insulting his mother. At that time her father called her indoors, but
a few minutes afterwards, hearing a man swearing, she ran out, and saw
the prisoner lying on the pavement, and Baggarley standing near him
bleeding from cuts on the arm and thigh. Witness said to the prisoner
"You have stabbed the man." He made no answer, but jumped up and ran
through the passage of No. 8. Witness assisted Baggarley to the police
station, and on the way they were compelled to give him brandy, as he
was so weak from loss of blood. He was afterwards conveyed home in a
cab, and early on Sunday morning taken to Guy's Hospital. In answer to
Mr Partridge, witness said that when the prisoner got up from the
pavement she saw something in his hand, but she could not swear it was a
knife. The prosecutor was sober, but the prisoner appeared to have been
drinking a little, Ambrose Harvey, 80 L, said he was called to Queen
Street a little before twelve on Saturday night, when he saw the injured
man bleeding from a wound on his arm, and blood was running down his
thighs. He said he had been stabbed, and from what he said witness went
through No. 8, and saw the prisoner in the act of climbing a wall in the
yard. Witness seized hold of him, and took him back into Queen Street,
when the prosecutor exclaimed, "That's the man who stabbed me," and gave
him into custody. The prisoner said, "Oh, some one else must have
stabbed him, as I have no knife." Witness searched him, but he had no
knife about him, neither could he find a knife where he captured
him.-After some further evidence Mr Partridge remanded the prisoner
until Tuesday the 18th, refusing to take bail.
Spouse: Eliza Jane Cappineer Blakesley (Married 15-Apr-1876)
Children: William Alfred Baggarley, Eliza Baggarley, Emily Jane Baggarley, Albert Joseph Baggarley, Alice Baggarley, Walter Henry Baggarley, Elizabeth Marian Baggarley
William Joseph's Heritage
Parents: Joseph Baggarley
Siblings: Susan Baggarley, Mary Ann Amelia Baggarley, Alice Maria Baggarley